Tennessee Ends Mercer’s NCAA Run With 83-63 Romp

Anthony White Jr. #15 and Daniel Coursey #52 of the Mercer Bears defend Jarnell Stokes #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers in the second half during the third round of the 2014 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at PNC Arena on March 23, 2014 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Tennessee came to Tobacco Road and turned it into “Raleigh Top.”

Jarnell Stokes had 17 points and a career-high-tying 18 rebounds, and the Volunteers deniedMercera second straight upset in the NCAA tournament by routing the Bears 83-63 on Sunday night.

Josh Richardson had a career-high 26 points and Antonio Barton had 18 for the 11th-seeded Vols (24-12), who outreboundedMercer41-19 and kept the Southeastern Conference perfect in the tournament.

They joined Florida and Kentucky in the round of 16 — the first time three SEC teams made it that far since 2007.